Okay so I apologize in advance. This is a rather short chapter but I promise you, the next one will make everything worth it! It's my absolute favorite.

A huge thanks to my wonderful reviewers from the last chapter, MiSTY_VoLPe, megthechef43, slytherinbadgirl, Alohomora My Heart, Harmonia, mairi ÜÜÜ, and the ever lovely, Gin-gin06 who reviews every chapter of every story. But honestly, you all make my day when I log on and see reviews from you, so thank you! Brownies from all y'all!! :) Also, huge thanks to miss Bella Bug for reading and editing all my chapters before I put them up!

Disclaimer: I don't own HP and I'm not JK Rowling. :( I also don't own Beauty and the Beast, credit for that incredible story goes to either Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve or Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont.

Draco took a step back, eyes wide with shock. He was staring at me incredulously, "What the bloody hell was that, Granger?" He shouted at me, eyes refusing to go back to their normal size in what I assumed was shock. Under normal circumstances I would have laughed, but I wasn't in the mood. I needed to stand my ground.

I had his attention now, and wasn't planning on losing it, "Now that I have your attention, I'm fairly certain you'll listen to me so NOW, I want answers," I said firmly, my eyes locked directly onto his," and you sound like Ronald." I said, before I could help myself. Any time anyone said 'bloody hell' I always found myself thinking about Ron.

"What, is that what he said after the two of you kissed the first time?" He shot back, sneering. I felt myself flinch involuntarily.

"We...we never kissed." I said, turning away from him.

" And you can't be serious... He's beyond in love with you." he said, his face now less harsh and demanding... softer somehow. As if he regretted his words.

"I'd thought so as well... I figured after he and Lavender broke up last year, something would've happened..." I shook my head, fighting back tears.

"I still don't know why he dated that Lavender girl. I mean, I hated Gryffindors on principle of course, but she was something else entirely." He said, surprising me and looking genuinely confused, his eyebrows pulled together.

"I don't either, She was so... so... I don't even know." I said before I could stop myself. He smiled briefly but it was gone as quick as it came. "Stop getting off topic! Malfoy, I want answers. I feel like all this is some sort of test or something... Me being here without information and stuck with someone who was my enemy for so many years."

"Believe me, Granger, it's no walk in the park for me either," he said, rather harshly. I could feel myself flinch slightly. I seemed to be doing a lot of that while he was talking to me. He certainly was acting more Malfoy-ish now. "But, I wanted to help... Don't ask me what u mean, I can't quite explain it. I just... I felt like it was absolutely necessary for me to help out the Order. And believe me, it took a lot of convincing." Well, so much for acting more like Malfoy.

"My mother freaked out of course." he continued, eyes flicking to mine as if for reassurance, "but, I convinced her and she and I went to Kingsley about it. And, well, here we are. I wanted to at least redeem the name of Malfoy. Even if it was just a little bit." He stopped talking and I could tell he was beyond conflicted. I'd never noticed how much his eyes betrayed his emotions. Though perhaps that was because he didn't feel the need to hide them now...

"I'm sorry." I said suddenly, surprising him. His eyes met mine and I shuddered slightly. "I always thought I was in a worse situation when we were in school. But, now I see that's clearly not the case." He looked at me, confusion etched into his face, obviously not quite sure I was going with this. To be honest, I didn't either.

"Well, there's me. Muggle-born and having to start from square-one and learn everything there was about magic. I had a thirst to prove myself. To prove thy being muggle-born doesn't have to be a hindrance. That possibly, it makes me that much more motivated. I always assumed all the name-calling and bullying by you and other students made things worse for me, but I can see now that isn't the case."

"You, a pure-blood, should have things far better than me, right? You've always had that sense of belonging in the wizarding world, something I had to prove on my own accord. You've always had things handed to you. You had it all..."

"But you know what? I don't know why it's taken me do long to notice everything, but I pity you. Here you are, being raised from day or. I in a hateful environment. Not directed to you, obviously. It was directed towards everyone who wasn't "as good as you", but by what definition? You were taught to dislike everyone who wasn't pure-blood, because why? They aren't full-blooded wizards? Look at the Weasley's. That's proof you don't have to be like that."

"Granger, you don't know me at all. Just stay out of my business." He hissed at me, glaring. I'd struck some sort of nerve and I could tell he wasn't happy.

"Miss know-it-all Granger has struck again, huh? Thinking she's got everyone all figured out. Little miss perfect feels bad for the pureblood because he had it better than her? You just don't know when to stop, do you?" His eyes were narrowed onto mine and I felt tears pricking at the backs of my own.

"You know what, Malfoy, just leave." I said suddenly, no longer willing to talk anymore. Knowing I wouldn't be getting the answers I needed right now from him. All I wanted to do was throw something at him or punch him and neither seemed like a very good choice at the moment.

"With pleasure." He turned on his heel and stalked out of my room, leaving me to dissolve into tears. I sank onto the chair, wondering why it felt like I'd had an argument with a significant other and not some horrid person I was stuck with for whatever length of time. I didn't understand why this was all so back and forth with Malfoy.

What did you think of their little spat? Is Hermione becoming more insightful to Draco's situation than we know? What nerve did she strike? Who was out of line? GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS! I WANT TO HEAR EVERYTHING! Just kidding. BUT that box is rather hungry and I'm kind of dying to know what everyone thinks, so I'll ask you this. IF YOU READ THIS, LEAVE A REVIEW. You don't even need an account, just leave me some feedback please! I'll love you forever and your name will be at the top of thet next chapter! Please do it. :(